Don’t put those garden gloves away just yet. It’s my favorite time of year! Fall is such a beautiful season, and my favorite of course. (And not just cuz I’m a white girl, I loved fall before it was a trend, just sayin!) What’s not to love? Outside cools down, the leaves change color, fall scents come alive and fall candles can be lit. Okay, I’ll be honest. I burn fall candles all year long. I just love the smells!

The best part? Your southern fall garden is just getting started. I know, I know, I know. Summer might not be ready to leave, yet. But our gardens are ready for a fresh start. There are still plenty of garden tasks to accomplish, and many plants you can still grow! While we’re still sweating through these September days here in Middle TN, it’s time to start thinkin about those delicious cool-weather crops. From garden cleanup and prep, to planting seeds, and finally reaping what we sow. This will actually be my first time growing a fall garden, so we’ll be learning together.

GARDEN TASKS

First things first, we gotta get to tidying up in the garden. Whether you’ve had time to keep up with that over the summer, or if life got in the way and some things have taken a back seat. It doesn’t matter! Either is okay. And I’m not afraid to admit my garden has gotten away from me this year. I started working full-time again before summer, and it was so dang HOT some days I didn’t even want to go outside. Now that the kids have started back at school again, their extracurriculars have taken off FULL FORCE. This Mama is TIRED, y’all. But that’s okay, we don’t give up! We dust off those garden tools and get back to growin. So, whether your garden is looking picture perfect, or like Mother Nature’s reclaimed it, let’s get our hands (and boots) dirty.

Now is a great time to pull some weeds, diseased plants, and spent plants. It’s also a good time to clear out any unwanted debris. Got a squash plant that’s lookin sad, dry, and like the squash vine borers have launched a full-blown assault? Pull it! If you compost, toss in the healthy stuff. Anything diseased or infested with pests, throw it away, burn it, whatever you do, don’t add it into your compost. I also like to leave some debris for the beneficial insects over the winter. Tidy up your beds and pathways. Also, take care of any garden accessories such as trellises, stakes, netting, tomato cages, pots and containers, etc. I like to store mine in the shed when they aren’t being used.

Don’t forget to give your soil some love!  It has been working hard this summer to feed your plants all those delicious nutrients they need.  Check the texture, moisture, and drainage.  Is it hard and compacted?  Does water pool on top, or drain too quickly?  I would suggest gently loosening any compacted areas rather than overturning the entire bed.  You don’t want to disturb your ecosystem too much.  Add a layer of compost as well as any amendments your soil may need.  If you like to mulch your garden, refresh or replenish whatever it is you use.  (wood chips, straw, etc)   Give your soil a good drink!  Water any dry beds, containers, or in-ground areas thoroughly, and allow any excess water to drain out.  Newly planted (fall) seeds and transplants need consistent moisture to establish healthy roots.

While perennials tend to require less maintenance than annuals, pruning them in the fall can be super helpful.  Some may even require it.  A little haircut can signal to the plants the redirect its energy to the roots so it will survive the cold weather.  Don’t fret!  They will reward you next year with beautiful new growth!  Just make sure you do a little research and find out how much each plant needs to be pruned.  Also, keep in mind, there are some that prefer to be pruned in the spring. 

PLANTING

If you haven’t started any seedlings yet, or maybe you planted some seeds outside already and these unreasonable temperatures have harmed them, don’t fret!  While it is ideal to start quite a bit of fall crops in mid to late summer, there is still time for some plants that can be direct sown, and maybe even some started inside.  That will mostly be dependent on what your local climate is looking like right now.  Here in Tennessee, we are still melting, but others throughout the country may already be experiencing cooler temps.  And yes. I. am. JEALOUS. 

When deciding what to plant, consider the zone you live in, but most importantly, consider your immediate area.  Because growing zones can cover such a wide range throughout the country.  So your local temperatures and frost dates are what should be taken into consideration the most.  

If your local temps are still high 90s, low 100s, consider starting some seeds indoor.  Make sure they are for plants that transplant well.  Leafy greens, sure, but root veggies like carrots?  Not so much.  You can also direct sow seeds outside.  For things like leafy greens, I would consider succession planting.  This is where you plant a round of seeds now, and in about two weeks or so, you plant another round of seeds.  This way you can have a continuous harvest!

When choosing what plants to grow, remember your frost dates.  Because it is important to know which plants are frost-hardy, and which are frost-tolerant, as well as which ones are tender.  Frost-hardy plants can survive repeated frosts, and depending on the plant, can even survive temperatures below freezing.  Some even develop a sweeter taste after a frost!  Frost-tolerant plants can handle a little chill.  They can withstand a light frost, but prolonged freezing temps or a hard frost may kill them.  Just remember, a light frost does NOT necessarily mean the end of your fall garden. 

Also consider how long it takes the plant to mature and be ready to harvest.  If you have a shorter fall season, you may want to avoid plants that take longer to mature.  Especially if those plants can’t handle the winter.  You can sometimes prolong the lives of your plants by utilizing cold frames, greenhouses, or tunnel methods.  A cold frame can be made from upcycled materials such as old windows! (So can greenhouses)

Fall is the BEST time to start thinking about your perennials!  A lot of plants, their seeds require cold stratification before they will even think about germinating.  Plant those seeds in the fall, forget about them through the winter, and watch them grow in the Spring!  It is also a good time to plant your bulbs for spring flowers.  The possibilities aren’t as limited as you may think.

So while it might be too late to start some seedlings inside, it’s not too late to direct sow some plants outside and prepare for next year!  Because a lot of fall crops will also do well in the late winter, early spring as long as your temperatures stay cool enough. 

WHAT PLANTS TO GROW

Arugula
Beets
Bok Choy
Broccoli
Brussels Sprouts
Cabbage
Carrots
Cauliflower
Celery
Chives
Collards
Fennel
Garlic
Green Beans
Kale
Kohlrabi
Lettuce
Mustard Greens
Peas
Radishes
Spinach
Swiss Chard
Turnips

There are also some flowers that prefer cooler temperatures, like snapdragons, pansies, ornamental kale, etc.  I could do a whole different post on flowers that prefer cooler temperatures if y’all would like!

So.  If your garden got away from you a bit this year, or maybe it didn’t produce as much as you had intended, that is okay!  We can have a fresh restart for the fall.  There is still plenty of time to get more out of your garden before the end of the year.  Get out there and tidy up, refresh your soil, and plant some seeds! (Both annuals and perennials!)  Or, if you have gotten a late start with seeds, you can always find some transplants at your local nurseries.  Keep an eye on your area’s temperatures and any potential frosts.  Also, if you’re here in Middle Tennessee, hang in there.  Lee has reassured me multiple times that the cooler temperatures are coming.  I think we’ll finally be dropping down into the 80s this week, ya know, COLD FRONT!

And there ya have it, y’all! Fall gardening doesn’t have to be complicated, and you don’t have to have everything figured out before getting started. The important thing is to get started! Whether you’re planting a whole new garden, or just giving a few beds a fresh start, there’s still plenty of growing to be done. So get those hands dirty and let’s make the most of this beautiful season.

Don’t forget to subscribe, and before you leave, share below what plants you will be growing in your fall garden!